Seamounts 2007
June 17 - June 24, 2007
June 19th, 2007
Click on any name to read an interview from the expedition participants
Dave Clague, Lonny Lundsten, Jenny Paduan, Iain Faichney, Craig R. McClain, Chris Myrvold, UC Davis; Laura Wetter, UC Davis; Laura Rademacher, University of the Pacific; Kristina Faul, Mills College; Elizabeth Griffith, Stanford University; Kathie Marsaglia, CSU Northridge
Dave Clague, Ph.D.
MBARI Senior Scientist
http://www.mbari.org/staff/clague
What is your role on this cruise?
I will be the Chief Scientist on this cruise.
What are your primary goals?
We are trying to learn how, when and why volcanoes formed near the California margin. To do this, we collect rock samples that we can age-date to determine the when part. We also analyze the rocks to determine their chemistry that tells us about how deep the magmas were generated and what melted under what conditions to form the magmas. We also look at the samples and the outcrops on the seafloor to determine what the eruptions were like--was the lava effusive or explosive. Lastly, we want to understand why the volcanoes formed and how they relate to the evolution of the margin of California during and after the time when the San Andreas fault system formed. We will also explore a relatively fluid lava flow we discovered last year near the summit of Davidson using the MBARI Mapping AUV. The new high-resolution data shows what appears to be a young fluid flow that partly filled a depression between several volcanic cones. This flow is thin (and therefore fluid) and may represent an eruption much younger than the 9.8 to 14.8 million year old ones we have sampled previously. At San Juan Seamount, where we shall also return late in the cruise, one of the flows we dated erupted 2.7 million years ago, about 16 million years after the oldest dated flow. The duration of volcanic activity on these seamounts is unlike anything seen on other seamounts in the Pacific and is probably tied to tectonic changes along California margin. Our three dives on the Patton Escarpment will also be trying to determine a different part of the same story of tectonic changes along the California margin by looking at the volcanic history of the margin itself.
What do you expect to find?
Mn-covered lava and volcaniclastic deposits. Maybe some beach cobble or sand deposits on the shallower seamounts. Lots of animals living on the rocks. A young lava flow on Davidson Seamount, and the fault-dismembered interior of a volcano along the Patton Escarpment.
What is your
favorite/least favorite part of a research cruise?
My favorite part of a research cruise is the intensity of new discoveries
and incorporating what we have just seen into the plans for the rest of the
dive or the next dives. Worst part is dealing with bad weather that can prevent
our planned programs from happening.
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one?
And how did you become one?
I am a Senior Scientist at MBARI. I love finding out how the world works and
wanted to get paid to do it. I took lots of science and math classes in high
school and college and majored in geology, then on to graduate school in oceanography.
Lonny Lundsten
MBARI
http://www.mbari.org/staff/lonny/
What is your role on this cruise?
Biologist, Video Lab Technician
What are your primary goals?
On this cruise I will be in charge of biological sample collection and
processing. I will also be directing the quantitative sampling of biological
observations. Specifically we’ll be collecting ROV video transects from
a variety of depths on each seamount that we explore. I am also in charge
of the video data management. This work entails identifying unique biological
and geological features that will be seen during the dive, while using MBARI
designed software to log the observations. Additionally, I will be preserving
and organizing many of the biological samples collected during the cruise,
preparing them for identification and further analysis by MBARI scientists
and our research collaborator’s.
What do you expect to find?
On almost every seamount expedition we have found many new species of
corals, sponges, worms, and seastars – I expect that we’ll find
many new species on this cruise as well. I am also hoping to use the quantitative
transect data that we collect to determine species abundance and distribution
at several different depths on each seamount.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research
cruise?
The most exciting part of a research expedition like this is seeing an
animal that no one has ever seen before. With our new high definition camera
this is even more exciting!
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one?
And how did you become one?
Video Lab Technician. I’ve always had a love for the ocean and
have wanted to learn more about it and the creatures that inhabit it. I’m
also a bit of a tech-junky. MBARI gives me the opportunity to pursue my interests
to the utmost. I received a B.S. in Marine & Coastal Ecology at CSU, Monterey
Bay and I am currently pursuing an M.S. at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories,
where I am studying the biology of several seamounts found off the coast of
California.
Craig
R. McClain (The R stands for rascal)
MBARI
Blog: http://scienceblogs.com/deepseanews/
What is your role on the cruise?
I will be one the marine biologists aboard.
What are your primary goals?
My primary goal is characterize the biodiversity of seamounts. Ultimately,
we hope to characterize how that varies spatially among different seamounts
and on individual seamounts.
What do you expect to find?
One of the greatest parts of deep-sea research is the high probability to
see something unexpected, to discover something new. I expect we will
see extraordinary coral and sponge fields loaded with invertebrates.
I also hoping to find a rare nudibranch, or seaslug, that we collected previously
on seamount expeditions and potentially a scientifically undescribed
species.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research
cruise?
A freezer stocked with ice cream. Seriously, my favorite thing about being
at sea is the ability to explore. After several years of doing this, I still
spend most of my time at sea in awe. I have a bit of a sailor's heart so I
look forward to daily ship life and the ocean air. Least Favorite: 6 foot
long bunks.
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one?
And how did you become one?
Postdoctoral Fellow which is like being a medical resident, have the degree
but still need some guidance from my seniors. More generally, I am a
marine biologist. I realized in college that someone might actually
pay me to play in the ocean. A B.A. in Biology and Ph.D. in Environmental
Biology and here I am.
Jennifer
Paduan
MBARI Senior Research Technician
Webpage: http://www.mbari.org/staff/paje/
What is your role on this cruise?
General science support: prepping all the lab supplies before the cruise
and shipping everything home at the end; preparing the real-time GIS beforehand,
using it during dives to track where the ROV is on our bathymetric maps, and
making dive track maps afterward; annotating the ROV video during dives; making
sure the samples don't get mixed up when the sample drawer gets emptied on
deck; and then cleaning, photographing, and bagging the samples afterward.
When we get home the real work with the samples and analytical data begins!
What are your primary goals?
That everything runs smoothly. My wishes: That we get to all the dive
targets we are planning and can collect all the samples we hope to find.
What do you expect to find?
I expect to find manganese-covered, weathered, old lava, and lots of animals
exploiting the lava's hard substrate and lofty position in the ocean currents.
I hope we find a younger flow at Davidson. If we're really lucky, we'll find
Architeuthis, the elusive giant squid!
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research
cruise?
Favorite: the excitement of new discoveries, piecing together scientific
puzzles, exploration. Least favorite: getting seasick.
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one?
And how did you become one?
I have always loved science: What are the plants around me, the animals,
rocks, landforms, the stars? What are they made of? How did they get to be
the way they are? What makes them function and persist? How are we impacting
them? I love the interdisciplinary nature of Oceanography: to understand the
ecology of an animal, you must also understand the chemistry, physics, and
geology of its habitat. When I was young, I wanted to study volcanoes,
then to become an astronomer, then a veterinarian. I was a biochemistry major
at a liberal arts college, and went to graduate school to study marine biochemical
ecology. Fortunately, along the way I took several geology courses, because
my path has taken me full circle back to studying volcanoes!
Laura
Wetter
Department of Geology, UC Davis
What is your role on this cruise?
My role on this cruise will be to catalog and organize coral samples recovered
by the ROV, and to make sure that they are ready to be transported back to
onshore labs for analysis.
What are your primary goals?
My goal is to accurately categorize of all the samples that we find so that
they can be used to study past variations in deep ocean temperature.
What do you expect to find?
Lots of corals, hopefully!
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research
cruise?
My favorite part is discovering new things; my least favorite part is taking
lots of anti-seasickness medication.
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one?
And how did you become one?
I am a graduate student in Geology at UC Davis. I have wanted to be a physical
scientist ever since my first field study to the Eastern Sierra Nevada –
one of the best places in the world to see some totally awesome rocks. I took
a lot of science and math classes, got a B.S. in Geology and am now working
on the M.S. Soon my collection will be complete!
Chris
Myrvold
UC Davis
What is your role on this cruise?
I am selecting bamboo corals to sample for geochemical analysis as part of
my Masters project at UC Davis.
What are your primary goals?
My goal on this cruise is to acquire a set of bamboo coral samples from a
suite of varying depths and locations that are of suitable size for comprehensive
geochemical analysis. These coral samples will be used in paleoclimate and
paleoceanographic applications.
What do you expect to find?
Hopefully what I've set out to find! I expect that I will have enough bamboo
coral samples from this trip to construct a geochemical profile of these corals
and the waters they represent with respect to both depth and location.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research cruise?
This is my first research cruise. I look forward to the challenge of working
in a lab that moves around and hope I don't get seasick.
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one? And how did
you become one?
I am a Masters student in geology at UC Davis. My primary focus is
marine geochemistry and paleoclimatology/paleoceanography. My interest in
these fields stemmed from my interest in isotope geochemistry, both stable
and radiogenic. My undergraduate work at DePauw University was on the trace
element and isotopic composition of calcite-apatite vein-dyke complexes in
Ontario, Canada, which cultivated my interest in isotope geochemistry. I then
chose to pursue stable isotope geochemistry applications as a Masters project,
which led me to UC Davis.
Iain
Faichney
MBARI Intern
What is your role on this cruise?
General science support. I will be observing and helping in whatever capacity
I can: processing samples, running the Gravity Corer, taking notes, dive GIS
etc. .
What are your primary goals?
My goals are to learn as much as possible, and do whatever I can to help to
make this a successful cruise for both Dave and Tessa.
What do you expect to find? What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research
cruise?
Favourite: going to sea to look at and partake in interesting things. I love
the ocean – I always have and I always will.
Least Favourite:
What is your job title? Why did you
decide to become one? And how did you become one?
I am currently undertaking my PhD at JCU in Townsville, Australia and
this internship with MBARI is a part of that. I am studying the drowned reef
terraces of the Maui-Nui Complex in Hawaii, and am at sea on this cruise learning
the fieldwork and sampling techniques of this type of marine geology.
I have a background in basin analysis and petroleum geology. Much of my offshore
work as a petroleum geologist was involved with carbonate sediments as reservoirs.
My interests have always lain in the marine environment - I love the sea.
I got into this field to combine my interest in both the ocean and geology.
I studied geology and basin analysis at RMIT University before starting my
doctorate at JCU.
Laura
Rademacher University of the Pacific - Geosciences
http://web.pacific.edu/x22354.xml
What is your role on this cruise?
My roles during the cruise include helping to guide coral collection, processing coral and water samples, taking notes, and helping out the scientists on board.
What are your primary goals?
My primary goals are to help gather unique coral and water samples from a range of environments on and around the seamounts, learn as much as possible about seamounts, their biota, and operations on the Western Flyer, be as helpful as possible to the other scientists, and try not to fall overboard!!
What
do you expect to find?
I expect to find lots of geology and biology I've never seen before.
We expect to see seamounts of a variety of ages and sizes, multiple genera
of corals, and hopefully something that has never been observed before...this
is my maiden voyage (other than whale watching and the occasional ferry ride),
so I expect that my first views of the deep sea through the Tiburon are going
to be amazing.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research cruise?
Favorite: Everything! But, especially participating in and learning
about everyone's research projects.
Least favorite: the potential for getting sea sick!!
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one?
And how did you become one?
I am an assistant professor of Geosciences at the University of the Pacific.
After I took my first class in geology as an undergraduate, I was hooked!
Who knew there was a field of study where you could spend most of your time
outdoors, traveling the world, and answering all kinds of questions about
the way the earth works. I earned a BS in geology from the University
of Wisconsin - Madison (Go Badgers!) and a PhD in geological sciences from
the University of California in Santa Barbara. As a professor, I am
able to do the two things I love the most - study geology and share my excitement
about the earth and the environment with others...I can't believe I get paid
to do this!
Kristina
Faul Chemistry, Mills College
http://www.mills.edu/academics/faculty/chem/kfaul/kfaul.php
What is your role on this cruise?
On this cruise, I will be a marine geochemist/paleoceanographer helping to
collect, describe, and preserve deep sea corals as part of Dr. Tessa Hill’s
“Coral Team.”
What are your primary goals?
My primary goals are to (1) reconstruct changes in nutrients and productivity
in the past oceans as recorded in the corals and sediments we will recover
and to (2) enjoy the process of recovering these samples at sea!
What do you expect to find?
Lots of ancient deep sea corals, fascinating new organisms, cool geology
and technology.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research
cruise?
My favorite parts of a research cruise are being a part of an exploratory
voyage, collaborating with other scientists, and experiencing the ocean (which
comprises 70% of our planet!). My least favorite part is being away from home
and family.
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become one?
And how did you become one?
Assistant Professor. I decided to become a professor because I think
having an academic career is the perfect combination of scholarship and service.
On the scholarship side, I am fascinated by reconstructing ocean history using
information recovered from cores deep below the bottom of the ocean. On the
service side, I enjoy mentoring and preparing students to tackle our future
environmental problems as future scientists.
I became a professor through perseverance, hard work, and having good mentors.
As a teenager, I studied math and science at Phillips Andover Academy. As
an undergraduate at MIT, I majored in Earth & Planetary Sciences and discovered
the field of paleoceanography. After a year as a research assistant at WHOI,
I knew I wanted to pursue graduate studies. I completed a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences
at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2001. Subsequently, I was a
post-doctoral researcher at Stanford, and began my job at Mills in 2003. At
each of these steps in my life, I had one or two mentors who helped me along
and encouraged me to continue.
Elizabeth Griffith
Graduate student, Stanford University
What is your role on this cruise?
Sampling coral and handling any cores that we are able to collect.
What are your primary goals?
My primary goal is to be as helpful to the rest of the scientific crew as
possible. I also hope to return with samples that can be used as environmental
archives
What do you expect to find?
Many different types of cold water coral and marine life. And pools
of sediment amongst the volcanic rocks.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research cruise?
Both my favorite and least favorite part of this research cruise is that it
is my maiden voyage.
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become
one? And how did you become one?
I am a graduate student at Stanford, finishing my PhD which has looked at
geochemical tracers of changes in ocean chemistry. I chose to work in
this field of science because of my interest in understanding environmental
changes in Earth's past. I studied geology at the University of Missouri-Rolla
as an undergraduate and my interests led me back to school as a graduate student
after I worked for a couple years as a field engineer.
Kathie Marsaglia
Assistant Professor, Geological Sciences
California State University Northridge
What is your role on this cruise?
Marine sedimentologist
What are your primary goals?
1) to learn about the volcanic, sedimentologic and tectonic history of the
California Borderlands
2) to learn about ROV technology and MBARI
What do you expect to find?
I hope to find lots of interesting sediments and sedimentary rocks.
What is your favorite/least favorite part of a research cruise?
least favorites
What is your job title? Why did you decide to become
one? And how did you become one?